Miniature horseshoe game



May 28, 1957 A. KONOPKA 2,793,851

MINIATURE HORSESHOE GAME Filed Sept. 2, 1954 JNVENTOR.

a f'zwa 4 M M United States Patent MINIATURE HORSESHOE GAME Anthony Konopka, Chicago, Ill. Application September 2, 1954, Serial -N0. 453,743 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-100 This invention relates to an improved amusement device and more particularly to a table-top game in which shaped playing pieces are propelled toward a target or goal.

Many attempts have been made heretofore to adapt various outdoor games for indoor or table-top play. Such games are especially attractive to children during periods of inclement weather or darkness when normal outdoor activity is curtailed. Baseball, basketball, football, and the like have all been reduced to playing boards in which an attempt is made to substitute small scale manipulations and which simulate all of the movements and possible variables of the normal game in equivalent activities on a small scale. Frequently, mechanical projectors are employed to substitute for the throwing or kicking of a ball or other missile, and the operator of the projector assumes the character of the actual player or team. By this invention these principles are applied to the game of horseshoes.

Horseshoe pitching is an ancient sport, is a popular pastime in both rural and urban areas, and is popular with men and women of all ages. In pitching horseshoes three primary variables must be controlled by the player. These three variables are the distance from the projector to the ultimate position of the horseshoe (i. e., the stake), the direction of the path of the horseshoe, and theIma-nner or attitude in which the horseshoe approaches the stake. In order to produce a ringer, that is, project the horseshoe in such amanner that it ultimately surrounds the stake, it is necessary that the direction be accurately controlled, that the horseshoe be projected a proper distance, and that the horseshoe approach the stake in an open manner. By the term an open manner is meant that the bight portion of the horseshoe must comprise the trailing portion, while the two legs of the horseshoe are the forwardmost or leading portions.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a table-top game closely simulating the familiar game of horseshoes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a miniature horseshoe game which is compact and portable and may be utilized under varying conditions.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a miniature game similar to the game of horseshoes in which all of the variables normally encountered in conventional horseshoes are duplicated.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a miniature horseshoe game using mechanical projectors by which an operator may control the direction of flight, distance of flight, and orientation while in flight of a propelled miniature horseshoe.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a miniature horseshoe game which may be played in accordance with all of the rules and regulations normally applying to the conventional game of horseshoes.

Further and additional objects of this invention will become manifest from a consideration of this specifica- Patented May 28, 1957 F Ice face. More particularly, the projecting means has an angularly disposed flat platform on which small, open sided, playing pieces rest and a plunger engageable with such playing pieces and normally urged toward the playing pieces by a resilient coil spring. The spring, plunger, and platform are so disposed that impact of the plunger with a playing piece will cause the playing piece to be propelled generally in the direction :of the associated stake.

For a more complete understanding of this invention,

reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one end of the embodiment of Fig. 1 showing one of the stakes and one of the projecting means thereof, the projecting means being shown partially in section; and

Fig. 3 is an end view of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, the game 10 of this invention comprises a base 12 having a playing surface on which are mounted two vertical stakes 14 and 16 and two playing piece projectors 18 and 20, The base '12 is a long narrow sheet of some material such as plywood or fiberboard and may preferably be'divided into two sections 22 and 24 secured together in end to end relationship by hinge means .26; The stakes 14 and 16 are disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the elongate playing surface 12 and occupy diagonally opposed corner portions of said surface. Each of the projecting means 18 and 20 is rigidly secured to the surface 12 and is aligned with a corresponding one of said stakes whereby a playing piece may be projected from the projecting means toward the associated stake. For example, the projecting means v18 hasa platform 28 mounted on a forward portion thereof with a plunger 40 slidable in the projecting means and engageable with a playing piece such as playing piece 32 which is shown disposed on the platform 28.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, a body portion 34 of the projecting means 18 is maintained in rigid relationship with respect to the surface 12 by means such as wood screws 36. An aperture 38 is formed through the support 34 at an angle to the surface 12 and in alignment with the corresponding stake 14. A plunger 40 is slidably mounted in the aperture 38 and has a small foot 42 disposed at the forward end thereof for engagement with the playing piece 32. An enlarged portion 44 of the aperture 38 is adapted to receive a coil spring 46 which normally urges the plunger 40 forward- 1y whereby the foot 42 will come into engagement with the playing piece 32. Forward motion of the plunger 40 is limited by a handle and stop element 48 which is secured to the rearward end of plunger 40. A small coil spring 50 is disposed about the plunger 40 between the handle 48 and the rearward surface of support 34 whereby the forward motion of the plunger under the influence of spring 46 is gradually stopped upon release of the handle 48 reducing the otherwise excess impact of the handle 48 with the rearward portion of the support 34.

The operation of the plunger is illustrated by dotted lines 52 in Fig. 2. It can be seen that by engagement of the handle 48 by the fingers of the operator and withdrawal of the plunger to the position shown in dotted lines 52 the spring 46 is substantially compressed and the foot 42' assumes the position shown by dotted lines 54. Upon release of handle 48 spring 46 causes rapid accelerationof plunger 40 whereby foot 42 engages the playing piece 32 which is resting on the angularly disposed platform 28. The impact of the foot 42 causes playing piece 32 to be propelled toward the stake 14.

The essence of this game lies in the positioning of the playing piece 32 on the platform 28 and appropriate withdrawal of plunger 40. As shown in Fig. 1, the playing piece is so disposed that the bight portion 56 will be engaged by the foot 42 and will cause the playing piece to be propelled with the leg portions forwardmost in a manner conducive to producing ringers if both the direction 'and distance of flight are appropriately controlled. However, in this game as in the outdoor game of horseshoes, many players consider it advantageous to dispose the playing piece 32 on the platform 28 in such a manner that one of the legs 58 is engaged by the foot 42 giving a controlled rotary motion or spin to the playing piece in flight. Thus it will appear that all of the variables and techniques which appear in the conventional game of horseshoes are reproduced by this invention.

Referring again to Fig. 1, the oppositely disposed projecting means 20 is identical to the projecting means 18 above described, and will not be described in detail. It will be clear that a similar plunger 60 extends through an aperture in the support 62 and engages a playing piece 64 lying on an angularly disposed platform 66. A handle means 68 similar to the handle 48 is provided for actuation of the plunger 60. Release of the handle 68 causes the playing piece 64 to be propelled toward the associated stake 16 and a ringer is illustrated in Fig. 1 by the playing piece 70 reproduced in dotted lines.

All of the rules of conventional horseshoes apply hereto, a ringer being valued at three points, while a playing piece lying on the playing surface 12 within a distance from the stake 16 less than the distance between the two legs of the playing piece is scored as one point. While one particular physical embodiment of this invention is taught herein, it will be clear that various modifications andalterations may be incorporated herein without d'eparting from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, a single stake and projecting means may be employed or the various elements may be disposed on the playing surface in a different manner. The disposition of the projecting means 18 and 20 as shown in Fig. 1 is considered desirable, as the parts nestle together when the playing surface is folded to produce a compact and portable device.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the character of my invention that others may, by app-lying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under varying conditions of service, while retaining certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claim.

I claim:

An amusement device comprising in combination with a plurality of horseshoe shaped playing pieces, an elongate substantially planar playing surface, a stake extending upwardly from one end of said surface, and a projecting means mounted on the other end of said surface, said projecting means including a support rigidly secured to said surface, a substantially planar piece receiving platform extending from said support and angularly disposed with respect to said surface, a piece propelling plunger extending through said support and axially movable substantially parallel to the plane of said platform, said plunger having a contact face of relatively small area and being engageable with a relatively small portion of such playing piece disposed on said platform, said small portion lying substantially on the axis of said plunger and constituting effectively a point contact with said plunger, spring means urging said plunger into engagement with such piece on said platform to propel such piece toward said stake with a flight and trajectory dependent upon the position thereof on said platform, and handle means on the end of said plunger oppositely disposed from said platform for withdrawing said plunger against the force of said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 468,214 Williams Feb. 2, 1892 1,926,920 Smith Sept. 12, 1933 1,997,238 Sharp Apr. 9, 1935 2,007,885 Spriggs July 9, 1935 2,068,200 Shetler Jan. 19, 1937 2,472,719 Mysels June 7, 1949 2,514,994 Falk -2 July 11, 1950 

